Local Leaders Review Governor Andrew Cuomo’s New Budget Plans

Local leaders both in and outside of Albany are taking a close look at Governor Andrew Cuomo’s newly proposed $178 billion budget but there’s some early grumblings about little meat on the funding bone for upstate issues.

Bob Joseph. WNBF Nwqa

The Governor is looking to ban single-use plastic shopping bags, prohibit bump stocks for guns, lengthen the wait time for gun licensing, legalize recreational marijuana, make election day a state holiday and allow for early voting.

A final budget is due by April 1.

On the election reform front, which is expected to see broader support in the legislature with the shift of power in the Senate to Democrats, long-time representatives say they have some reservations.

Assemblyman Clifford Crouch says he's in favor of "no excuse" absentee ballots where residents don't have to give a reason for voting by absentee ballot. He says that would solve the need for early voting which he said he worried could be misused. Crouch says he also fears an opening for fraud with same-day registration.

While the Governor spoke about mass transit and congestion tolls for downstate, lawmakers outside of New York City said they would have liked to have heard more about plans for spending on upstate infrastructure.